Finnish flag carrier weighs its passengers before they fly

The flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, Finnair is weighing passengers before they board flights. However, it has nothing to do with fat-shaming. The airline is asking its customers to step on the weighing scales before flying for them to gather data. The company is hoping to slash operating costs, so it can better estimate fuel requirements.

Airlines usually get average weight stats from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). But the latest report was compiled eight years ago. It probably needs an update, so Finnair is doing it itself. The program happens during check-in at Helsinki Airport. It is voluntary, and so far Finnair has only managed to get 180 passengers to be weighed but the target is 2,000. The airline believes it will be able to reorganise fuel estimations and, in turn, improve its environmental impact. Finnair's communications director, Paivyt Tallqvist stated, “Airlines know what the aircraft weighs, what the check-in luggage weighs, but not what passengers weigh.”

Right now, the EASA states that the average male weighs 84.6kg; women come in at 66.5kg on average and anyone under 12, around 30kg.

But that's pooling Europe as a whole, considering populations differ greatly. Even things like season have an effect. In winter, coats and heavy boots add significant weight.